Life in Holland

in the 1600's

Work in Holland

in the 1600's

Rented St. Agnieten Tooren from the city for 12 years

Date:

December 5, 1693

On December 5, 1693, Leeuwenhoek rented St. Agnieten Tooren from the city for 12 years for 12 guilders per year, according to the city's Consentboek (permit or license book) for 1664-1794 (image below; OAD inv. 650.2 fol. 31).

This tower was in the City's southern wall, called Bastiaensvest in the document, between the Oostpoort and the Rotterdamse Poort. On the earlier maps, it appears as a bastion that juts into the singel, as did the other towers on the southern and western sections of the singel. By the time Leeuwenhoek rented it, it was enclosed and had a pointed roof, according to the Kaart Figuratief (detail on right).

There are no towers remaining in Delft of this type. There is one, however, in Leiden, the Muurtoren Oostenrijk on the Witte Singel. It is the last of Leiden's thirty-three wall towers (muurtorens, waltorens or verdedigingstorens - defensive towers). This one has a new roof, but in the old style, and the original brick. The earthen bank would have been topped by wall on both sides of the tower.